Carroll County, Missouri Meeting to Decide Whether to Secede from the Union excerpt from the Carrollton Democrat, June 8, 1861 - One of the largest neighborhood meetings ever held in Carroll county, convened at Winfrey’s Grove, at a place known as the Rosebud school house about seven miles southeast of Carrollton on Saturday the first of June to deliberate on the present aspect of the times. Not withstanding the rain pouring down, the crowd came in from all quarters, each man seeming determined to stand forth before the World as a defender of the old banner of Washington and Jackson, and to sustain the Union by which ‘Nobody has ever been hurt’.” Several of the old pioneers of the country were there. Men who reclaimed this country from the wild wilderness and have made it a garden of the state, were there, with their sons and grandsons, all warm, ardent, determined and resolved to oppose secessionism, abolitionism, or any other fanaticism that threatens the liberties of the people. When such men as Judge Hardwick, Turpin Thomas, and Joseph Adkins, one of the heaviest slave holders in the county---men who have born the hardships of the wilderness to improve the country and extend the area of civilization, while many of the present enemies of their country’s flag were mewling and puking in the nursery---when men like these forget the infirmities of age, and ride through the storm and drenching rain to encourage their fellowmen to stand by their flag and their constitution, we hope their example will be followed throughout the whole state. The meeting was called to order by Samuel Winfrey, Esq. whereupon Thomas Hardwick was chosen chairman, and Turpin Thomas, Joseph Adkins, and John Gray, vice Presidents and George W. Tatham, secretary. The following committee was then appointed by the chair to draft the resolutions expressive of the sense of the Meeting: Samuel Winfrey, E. H. Thomas, George Burkhart, James Gosnell, and B. E. Kirgan.” [Many more resolutions which were made have been deleted, but this last one pretty clearly shows the sentiments of the group.] - Resolved, that as Missouri has prospered in the Union, we shall remain there till our honor and interests demand separation, then we will, like our Fathers, resort to revolution and discard the subterfuge of secession.” Thomas Hardwick, Chairman [This meeting was held about six weeks after the Civil War started, and they met to decide whether or not to secede from the Union. It has been said that if Missouri had seceded, it is very probable the north would have lost.] SOURCE: The Winfrey Family by James Clifton Winfrey, Prints Valiant, Littleton, Colorado, 1982, pgs 279-280. Don Winfrey donlwinfrey@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Don Winfrey USGENWEB NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ------------------------------------------------------------------------